Strategic Planning Group LLC Has $22.09 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Strategic Planning Group LLC increased its Costco stake by 9.8% in the fourth quarter, bringing holdings to 25,610 shares worth about $22.1 million. Costco now accounts for roughly 2.8% of the firm’s portfolio.
• Wall Street remains generally constructive on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings, 11 Hold ratings, and 1 Sell rating, and an average target price of $1,046.03. Several firms recently adjusted price targets, while the consensus rating stays at Moderate Buy.
• Costco posted strong quarterly results, with EPS of $4.58 and revenue of $69.6 billion, both ahead of expectations. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

Strategic Planning Group LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 9.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 25,610 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 2,285 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 2.8% of Strategic Planning Group LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest holding. Strategic Planning Group LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $22,085,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,046.03.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $999.47 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $443.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.97, a PEG ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.92. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $998.56 and a 200 day simple moving average of $952.44. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported April comparable sales up 11.6% and net sales up 13%, with digitally enabled comps jumping 18.8%, reinforcing confidence in the company’s membership and omnichannel model. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are pointing to Costco’s e-commerce gains as a potential driver of a higher valuation, suggesting the online business could support longer-term upside. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also benefiting from consumer demand for value, with higher gas prices and price-sensitive shopping helping fuel traffic and sales at warehouse clubs. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: New member-value initiatives, including added food court protein options and more digital redemption of perks, may help reinforce loyalty and keep shoppers engaged with the Costco ecosystem. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: One article noted Costco shares are now above the psychologically important $1,000 mark, which may invite profit-taking or renewed debate over whether the stock is stretched after its run-up. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s short-interest update appears to show no meaningful change, so it does not seem to be a major driver of the stock today. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The tariff-refund lawsuit could weigh on sentiment because it puts Costco’s member-value reputation and refund practices under legal scrutiny. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary also raises the “sell in May” question after the stock’s recent run, suggesting valuation and seasonality could cap near-term upside. Article Title

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company's product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco's business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.

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